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TO: Honorable Mayor and Members of the City Council
FROM: Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
SUBJECT: Consideration and possible action to approve salary and benefit adjustments for City Manager and City Clerk positions.
For the City Manager, the proposed adjustment for calendar year 2025 would increase salary by $10,569 for a total salary of $281,569 annually. The proposed adjustment will increase taxes and benefits by approximately $2,690.
For the City Clerk, the proposed adjustment for calendar year 2025 would increase salary by $5,463 for a total salary of $145,547 annually. The proposed adjustment will increase taxes and benefits by approximately $3,392.
DATE: January 27, 2025
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Resolution No. 23-31 and Resolution No. 23-32 adopted by the City Council on August 14, 2023 established salaries and benefits for represented and unrepresented employees during the 2023 – 2025 biennial budget period including adjustments thereto in July of each calendar year. The salaries for the City Manager and City Clerk are separate from the aforementioned resolutions since they are contracted employees in accordance with City Charter Article IV(C).
In July of 2024, represented and unrepresented employees received a 3.9% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) pursuant to Resolution No. 23-31 and Resolution No. 23-32.
The City Council also approved Ordinance No. 1436 increasing compensation to members of the City Council by the equivalent of the COLA’s provided to employees over the previous two fiscal years (7% total inclusive of the same 3.9% increase provided to employees in July, 2024). The amendments attached to this Staff Report provide for similar adjustments to the agreements with the City Manager and the City Clerk. In materials provided to the City Council, the provided COLA was identified as 3.4%, but it has been corrected here to the same 3.9% as provided in the approved Resolutions and ordinance noted above. If these amendments are approved by the City Council, these recommendations would take effect retroactively on January 1, 2025.
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o“ 01: BELLFLO
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Staff Report – Salary Adjustments to City Manager and City Clerk Positions January 27, 2025
RECOMMENDATION TO CITY COUNCIL
1) Authorize the Mayor to execute Amendment No. 1 to the City Manager Employment Agreement (AFN 1020), in a form approved by the City Attorney; and
2) Authorize the Mayor to execute Amendment No. 6 to the City Clerk’s Employment Agreement (AFN 686), in a form approved by the City Attorney; or
3) Alternatively, discuss and take other action related to this item.
FISCAL IMPACT
The total fiscal impact of the recommended adjustments is approximately $22,114 for the twelve months from January to December, 2025.
ATTACHMENTS:
AFN 1020, Amendment No. 1 ......................................................................................... 3 AFN 686, Amendment No. 6 ........................................................................................... 4
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AMENDMENT NO. 1 TO
AGREEMENT FILE NO. 1020 BETWEEN
THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER AND
RYAN SMOOT
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 1 to AFN 1020 (“Amendment”) is made and entered into this 27th day of January 2025, by and between the CITY OF BELLFLOWER, a charter city and municipal corporation (“CITY”) and Ryan Smoot, an individual (“EMPLOYEE”).
SECTION 1. Pursuant to Section 17 of AFN 1020 (“Agreement”), Section 3(A) of the Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:
“This Agreement will become effective January 1, 2024, and, except as otherwise provided, terminate on December 31, 2030. Unless terminated not less than 30 days before December 31, 2030, this Agreement will renew upon its anniversary date for a one-year term.”
SECTION 2. Pursuant to Section 17 of the Agreement, Section 8(A) of the Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:
“Retroactively, beginning January 1, 2025, CITY agrees to increase EMPLOYEE’s annual salary to $281,569 (a 3.9% increase) for EMPLOYEE’s services, payable in equal installments at the same time as other employees of CITY are paid.
Beginning January 1, 2026, and each January 1 thereafter through and including January 1, 2027 CITY agrees to increase EMPLOYEE’s annual salary by the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”) “all items index” data from May to May of the preceding year, as provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics for the Los Angeles - Long Beach-Anaheim, CA area for EMPLOYEE’s services. Notwithstanding the CPI Data, the annual increase in EMPLOYEE’s salary will not exceed any increase provided to other City employees in the previous 12 months. Beginning January 1, 2028, CITY agrees to increase EMPLOYEE’s annual salary to the median salary for City Managers in comparator agencies as determined by an objective salary survey prepared by an independent consultant and approved by the City Council.”
SECTION 3. Pursuant to Section 17 of the Agreement, Section 7(D) of the Agreement is amended to read “7(D). Not used.”
SECTION 4. This Amendment may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
SECTION 5. This Amendment may be executed in any number or counterparts, each of which will be an original, but all of which together constitutes one instrument executed on the same date.
SECTION 6. Except as modified by this Amendment, all other terms and conditions of Agreement File No. 1020, as amended, remain the same.
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City of Bellflower
Amendment No. 1 to Agreement File No. 1020
Ryan Smoot, City Manager
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have executed this contract the day and year first hereinabove written.
CITY OF BELLFLOWER RYAN SMOOT
_____________________________ ____________________________ Ray Dunton, Mayor
ATTEST:
_____________________________
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_____________________________
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
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AMENDMENT NO. 6 TO
AGREEMENT FILE NO. 686 BETWEEN
THE CITY OF BELLFLOWER AND
MAYRA OCHIQUI
THIS AMENDMENT NO. 6 (“Amendment”) is made and entered into this 27th day of January 2025, by and between the CITY OF BELLFLOWER, a charter city and municipal corporation (“CITY”), and MAYRA OCHIQUI, an individual (“EMPLOYEE”). The Parties agree as follows:
SECTION 1. Pursuant to Section 18 of Agreement File No. 686 (Agreement), Section 3A. of Agreement is amended to read in its entirety as follows:
A. This Agreement will become effective December 12, 2015 and, except as otherwise provided, terminate on December 31, 2031. Unless terminated not less than 30 days before December 31, 2031, this Agreement will renew upon its anniversary date for a one-year term.
SECTION 2. Pursuant to Section 18, Section 11(A) of the Agreement is amended in its entirety to read as follows:
“11. SALARY:
A. Retroactively, beginning January 1, 2025, CITY agrees to increase EMPLOYEE’s annual salary to $145,547 (a 3.9% increase) for EMPLOYEE’s services, payable in equal installments at the same time as other employees of CITY are paid. Beginning January 1, 2026, CITY agrees to increase EMPLOYEE’s annual salary to $149,913 (a 3% increase). Beginning January 1, 2028, CITY agrees to increase EMPLOYEE’s annual salary to the median salary for City Clerks in comparator agencies as determined by an objective salary survey prepared by an independent consultant and approved by the City Council.”. EMPLOYEE’s salary includes bilingual pay. Accordingly, such bilingual pay will not be additionally available to EMPLOYEE via Section 10 of this Agreement.”
SECTION 3. Pursuant to Section 18, Section 11(C) of the Agreement is amended in its entirety to read as follows:
C. Retroactively, beginning January 1, 2025, as an inducement to remain in employ of the CITY, the CITY will contribute $14,000 (an increase of $2,000) annually to EMPLOYEE’s Deferred Compensation Plan. This amount will increase to $16,000 on January 1, 2026, $18,000 on January 1, 2029, and $20,000 on January 1, 2031.
SECTION 4. This Amendment may be executed with electronic signatures in accordance with Government Code §16.5. Such electronic signatures will be treated in all respects as having the same effect as an original signature.
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City of Bellflower
Amendment No. 6 to Agreement File No. 686
Mayra Ochiqui, City Clerk
SECTION 5. This Amendment may be executed in any number or counterparts, each of which will be an original, but all of which together constitutes one instrument executed on the same date.
SECTION 6. Except as modified by this Amendment, all other terms and conditions of Agreement File No. 686, as amended, remain the same.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the parties hereto have executed this contract the day and year first hereinabove written.
CITY OF BELLFLOWER MAYRA OCHIQUI
_________________________________ _______________________________ Ray Dunton, Mayor
ATTEST:
_________________________________
Jennifer Poole, Deputy City Clerk
APPROVED AS TO FORM:
_________________________________
Karl H. Berger, City Attorney
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